George H.W. Bush’s Net Worth Topped $25 Million At The Time Of His Death

Net worth is the sum total of all financial and non-financial assets owned by a single person. At the time of his death, Celebrity Net Worth determined George H.W. Bush’s net worth to be $25 million. Many other outlets estimated the net worth of Bush Sr. to range somewhere between $20 and $25 million, according to Heavy.

George’s wife, Barbara, was also estimated to have a net worth of $25 million at the time of her passing.

Two decades ago, The New York Times estimated George’s net worth to be just $2 million. According to the publication, the bulk of Bush’s wealth was the result of buying and selling various properties at the time.

Speaking to the publication, George’s brother, Jonathan, reveals making money was never part of his brother’s long-term plan.

”He had enough money to be in a public career, and that’s all that mattered to him,” Jonathan continued to explain.

According to Motley Fool, Bush was far from being the richest U.S. President despite being recognized as a wealthy man. Herbert Hoover, for example, currently holds the tenth slot as richest president with a net worth of $75 million, which is $25 million higher than Bush. Donald Trump, on the other hand, holds the top spot with a net worth of $3.7 billion.

While George Sr. was not the wealthiest man on the planet, he and his wife were able to use their means to fight to keep their late daughter Robin alive back in the 1950s. Mr. and Mrs. Bush spared no expense on testings and transfusions when their daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.

Unfortunately, it was a condition even medical experts knew little about that was the equivalent of a death sentence. Moreover, many health care professionals were unwilling to treat children with forms of cancer such as leukemia because of the unknowns associated with it.

Years in Public Service Hindered His Net Worth

George’s dedication to public service is ultimately why he didn’t leave behind a larger net worth. He served in World War II, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he was the CIA director, he was the Vice President for Ronald Reagan, and he served as the 41st President of the United States.

George Bush, 41st President, Dies at 94 https://t.co/0HnXsRyoa0

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 1, 2018

While all of the positions George took over in his lengthy political career came with generous paychecks, the purpose of having a public service job is not with the goal of becoming extremely wealthy.

The former 41st president did successfully tap into the oil drilling industry from the 1950s to the 1960s. However, he sold his oil business interest in 1966 before he had a chance to make any significant money from it.

Barbara and George H.W. Bush spent 73 years together, becoming the longest married presidential couple in U.S. history. https://t.co/6ovCW4LrSg

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 1, 2018

That same 1988 New York Times’ article reported Bush Sr. unsuccessfully invested in the stock market on multiple occasions before becoming Vice President. He also reportedly only inherited a “modest” amount of family money. His small wealth is credited to him establishing himself in the business world.